Liberal Media Love Huck

I have one complaint tonight. Is it just me or is the media in love with Mike Huckabee? Over the last few weeks, almost every story I read involving Huck presents him in some fabulous light. And what are they about? Huck blasting Mitt Romney over his "dishonesty" or his "sincerity" in his opposition to abortion. Let's discuss honesty shall we?

Mike Huckabee swears he had nothing to do with releasing Wayne Dumond other than signing a paper. And yet three or four on the parole board swear he had a more than one closed door meeting with them pushing Dumond's release. So, the word of Huck or the word of three or four parole board members?? I tend to believe the word of several witnesses. Huck is a liar. What has Mitt lied about? Who knows? Huck said he was being dishonest to get the job, but never gives any legitimate examples.

From a CNN article, "Romney has been airing television ads criticizing Huckabee for raising state spending, backing in-state tuition for illegal immigrants at state colleges and granting more than 1,000 pardons and commutations.

"Huckabee has said the claims are taken out of context..." Let me ask a question...How does one take 1000 pardons out of context? He granted them plain and simple. Heck it was easy to get one in Arkansas. All you had to do was say you got saved and wanted to change your life, and Huckabee would fight to get you pardoned. And Huck can't possibly be backing down from his in-state tuition for illegals, I heard him defend that position emphatically on the YouTube debate. Mike Huckabee raised spending from $6 million to $16 million. How is that taken out of context? That's the facts. Of course, CNN doesn't raise this question or criticize Huck for making such a foolish statement. They provide a link to a video of Huck criticizing Romney instead.

Next thing...If Romney gets the Republican nomination for President, Huckabee will not support him in the national election. Which proves the point I and others have been making for some time. Huckabee is a Democrat in every way except that he opposes abortion and same-sex marraige. Otherwise he is very liberal. I can't help but wonder if his opposition to Romney has more to do with Romney being a Mormon than anything else. Being a Southern Baptist minister, I'm sure he has preached sermons about why Mormons are wrong and going to hell. I haven't met a Southern Baptist minister who hasn't preached such a sermon. He simply can't support a Mormon, regardless of his politics. Of course he won't admit to it, but he has stumbled with the Mormon question before.

So back to my original question...Is the media in love with Huckabee? Heck yeah they are. Why? Because he is the easiest Republican candidate to beat. The liberals have put it out there to keep Huck out of their negative comments. Clinton and Obama do not want to run against Mitt Romney. He represents real Reagan conservativism. He stands on all three legs of social conservative, fiscal conservative, and foreign policy conservative. He can unite the conservative coalition and obtain the support needed to easily defeat the Democratic nominee, whoever that may be. They know it and they don't want to face it. Therefore, they are keeping quiet about Huck. The liberal media even tries to make him look good. I think Americans are smarter than that. I think Americans are smarter than to have a nominee who jokes about his lack of foreign policy experience, supports benefits for illegal immigrants, and supports tax and spending increases. I think they are smarter than to nominate a candidate who is a "Christian leader" and has no other qualifications to serve in the highest office in the United States.

Top 10 Reasons Why the Media Want Clinton, Part Deux

Several months ago, Hillary Clinton’s campaign website ran a banner story called, “The Top 10 Reasons to Support Hillary for President and Help Make History.” That list is now gone from the site, undoubtedly because her own team is havi

read more | digg story

We got a new phone...

that takes the most amazing pics for a phone. It's the new LG Chocolate phone. It's much more advanced than the one we've had for the last two years, so we'll be playing with it and learning how to use it for about the next two years. It takes great pics anyway. Don't I have the most beautiful wife??!!

National Review Endorses Mitt Romney

The editors of National Review Online (NRO) have endorsed Mitt Romney for President. This is a huge endorsement. Read the entire article here. Some highlights:

"Our guiding principle has always been to select the most conservative viable candidate. In our judgment, that candidate is Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts. Unlike some other candidates in the race, Romney is a full-spectrum conservative: a supporter of free-market economics and limited government, moral causes such as the right to life and the preservation of marriage, and a foreign policy based on the national interest. While he has not talked much about the importance of resisting ethnic balkanization — none of the major candidates has — he supports enforcing the immigration laws and opposes amnesty. Those are important steps in the right direction."

"Uniting the conservative coalition is not enough to win a presidential election, but it is a prerequisite for building on that coalition. Rudolph Giuliani did extraordinary work as mayor of New York and was inspirational on 9/11. But he and Mike Huckabee would pull apart the coalition from opposite ends: Giuliani alienating the social conservatives, and Huckabee the economic (and foreign-policy) conservatives. A Republican party that abandoned either limited government or moral standards would be much diminished in the service it could give the country."

"Romney is an intelligent, articulate, and accomplished former businessman and governor. At a time when voters yearn for competence and have soured on Washington because too often the Bush administration has not demonstrated it, Romney offers proven executive skill. He has demonstrated it in everything he has done in his professional life, and his tightly organized, disciplined campaign is no exception. He himself has shown impressive focus and energy."

"For some people, Romney’s Mormonism is still a barrier. But we are not electing a pastor. The notion that he will somehow be controlled by Salt Lake City or engaged in evangelism for his church is outlandish. He deserves to be judged on his considerable merits as a potential president. As he argued in his College Station speech, his faith informs his values, which he has demonstrated in both the private and public sectors. In none of these cases have any specific doctrines of his church affected the quality of his leadership. Romney is an exemplary family man and a patriot whose character matches the high office to which he aspires.

More than the other primary candidates, Romney has President Bush’s virtues and avoids his flaws. His moral positions, and his instincts on taxes and foreign policy, are the same. But he is less inclined to federal activism, less tolerant of overspending, better able to defend conservative positions in debate, and more likely to demand performance from his subordinates. A winning combination, by our lights. In this most fluid and unpredictable Republican field, we vote for Mitt Romney."

Good Reads from Evangelical Leader

These two articles by Wayne Grudem, a research professor of Bible and theology at Phoenix Seminary, highlight why he, and all evangelical Christians, should vote for Mitt Romney.
His endorsement in October and Interview after The Speech.

Everyone needs to read this commentary by Peggy Noonan about the speech given by Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, Faith in America. To hear the speech, click play on the video posted on December 6, or go to Mitt Romney's official website.

My response to the Rick and Bubba Show - Dec. 5, 2007

Dear Rick and Bubba,

I have been a long time listener, over 13 years, to your show. I have never been disappointed in the show until yesterday, December 5, 2007. You have been long-time supporters of the Bush administration, which I have enjoyed. You seem to be upstanding citizens and Christians who try to live faithfully. Yesterday you had a Mr. James Walker on your show. This is a man who left the LDS Church back in 1976 and has been working fervently since to debunk The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Now that is all well and good. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and if Mr. Walker feels that the Church is wrong and wants to tell everyone about it, that’s his prerogative. I have to tell you, just because his family before him had been members of the Church for four generations does not qualify Mr. Walker to be a spokesman for the church. He left the Church at the age of 21 and has been discrediting it ever since. He is hardly credentialed to explain what members of the LDS Church teach and believe. Like all other detractors, he has taken quotes and teachings of church leaders out of context and presented them in a way that is not accurate or true. I understand that he contacted you, but if you really want to make the community aware of what is taught and practiced by the LDS Church, there are people in the Church, such as bishops, stake presidents, and even PR people that would be in a better position to explain and answer questions. The thing that really bothers me is you have an ex-Mormon on your show, and then the callers that get on the air are other ex-Mormons and those that aren’t exactly the most well-versed members. The Church has nothing to hide, and is not trying to obscure its teachings or practices. Go to the source. I could give you contact information for people you might want to talk to in order to get a better understanding, for yourself and the community.

The whole point of my writing is not the above paragraph, although I really feel you have failed the public by only having the opinions of outsiders and no facts from the source. No, the reason I am writing is out of a concern for the welfare of our country. The 6^th Article of the Constitution of the United States declares, “…no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” And yet this is what is happening in this election, and on your show. The entire interview with Mr. Walker was under the premise that people need to know what Mormons believe before voting for Mitt Romney. Strangely, former Baptist minister Mike Huckabee has ads in Iowa that state he is a “Christian Leader”, obviously declaring he has won such a religious test while implying that Mitt Romney has lost this test because he is a Mormon. Need I remind you that such a campaign and religious test got us a Jimmy Carter as President. I don’t think I need to expound further on that point. This line of thinking is the same as Hillary Clinton saying women should vote for her because she is a woman (which she has done), or blacks should vote for Barack Obama because he is black. None of these are qualifications or ultimate reasons why one should vote for any of these candidates. I maintain that the church a person belongs to has absolutely no bearing on his ability to perform the duties of the office of President of the United States. Rather, look at the man’s leadership experience, his voting record, his values, his foreign policy, but not his religious affiliation. What Mitt Romney believes about the ultimate destination of his soul has absolutely no bearing on the decisions he will make when we are faced with a national emergency or healthcare reform or raising or lowering taxes. Did John F. Kennedy force his Catholicism on the USA? Did he bring the influence of the Vatican into his Presidency? Did he consult the Pope on matters of war or foreign policy? What makes anyone think that Mitt Romney will be taking orders from Salt Lake City? I think there would be serious repercussions for him if he took such actions and do not think for one moment that such will be the case.

Let’s look at Mitt Romney’s accomplishments. He has taken businesses that were near bankruptcy, turned them around and now they are among the most profitable businesses. When the 2002 Winter Olympics were severely in debt and on the brink of ruin, Mitt Romney was called on to turn it around. The 2002 games were one of the most successful in history. As governor of Massachusetts he took a state that was billions of dollars in debt and in four years balanced the budget and now the state enjoys a huge surplus. I might add he did this while lowering taxes and cutting costs. As governor, he fought against abortion and same-sex marriage. He instituted a plan whereby all Massachusetts citizens have affordable healthcare (no tax raising for that one either). As Romney has pointed out, the United States government is one of the biggest enterprises in the world. He has the experience and the knowledge that will enable him to get us out of debt and strengthen our economy. He knows how jobs are created and how to build the economy. Mitt Romney has been married faithfully for over 35 years. He has children and grandchildren who love and support him. Looking for someone with good family values? No divorces, no cheating, loves and spends time with his family. This is the man who will fight for stronger families. I’m not voting for Mitt because he is a member of the LDS Church. My mind is made up because of his record, policies, and values. To make my point, Harry Reid is the Democratic Senate Majority leader at this time. He is also a Mormon. I wouldn’t vote for him in a million years. His policies and record and values do not match those I am looking for.

Let’s now look at our theology degree Baptist minister. As governor of Arkansas, he raised taxes repeatedly. There wasn’t a tax he didn’t like. He increased spending from $6 million to $16 million. Tax and spend, sounds like a Democrat policy. He fought to spend Arkansas citizens’ tax dollars on giving scholarships to the children of illegal immigrants. Think about that. Illegal immigrants would have gotten better benefits than would the children of United States citizens. Do you think that would continue? Furthermore, when asked about his limited (nonexistent) experience in foreign policy, Huckabee only joked, “And the ultimate thing is, you know, I may not be the expert as some people on foreign policy – but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.” (WABC Radio, 12/04/07) This is not a joking matter. Is this really the man you want running our country? I mean, he does have a theology degree after all. This surely qualifies him to know what to do about radical Jihadism…maybe not. You must be aware that Huckabee has absolutely no chance of winning the Republican nomination for president. Sure, he can rally the evangelicals, but he’ll never gain support of fiscal conservatives. His record proves he cannot be trusted with our money. A vote for him is a vote for Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani’s pro-abortion and pro-same-sex-union stances are just like most of the Democrats’ positions. We might as well be voting Democrat.

On the other hand, we could vote for Mitt Romney who is a proven social and fiscal conservative. He can unite the Republican base, and he can win the Presidency. He has earned the endorsements of such evangelical leaders as Bob Jones III and Robert R. Taylor, pro-life leaders such as James Bopp, Jr., and important social and religious conservative leader Paul M. Weyrich, among others.

One more thing I want to touch on. Rick, you made a comment that I have heard over and over and over in my life. When talking to one woman who is a member of the LDS Church, you brought up a scripture in an effort to discredit the Book of Mormon. Of course you know that I am referring to Revelation 22:18-19. This is the standard Baptist answer to the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. This is also the most ignorant use of Bible of which I know. Some facts:

• Most Biblical scholars agree that John wrote Revelation 10-25 years before he wrote his Gospel.
• The Bible wasn’t compiled in its current form until nearly 370AD.
• It was common practice for prophets to add a warning about adding to, taking away, or changing their writings (see Deuteronomy 4:2).
  

In light of this information, the Bible as we have it today did not exist when John wrote Revelation. Those verses related to his revelation which he was writing at the time, and not to the Bible as a whole. Honestly, Rick, for someone who studies the Bible so much, or claims to, all you know is a few verses in the Bible. Like many “ministers”, you know the verses but you have absolutely no idea of the background, where it came from, or how we got it in its present form today. These things are relevant, and like all Protestants before you, your argument has no relevance or credibility. Get your facts straight and don’t use scriptures in an attempt to nullify the credibility of a religion other than your own.

Lastly, as you can probably tell, I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I want you to know my feelings about my Savior. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior, the literal Son of the Living God. I know that nearly 2000 years ago, he was born of a virgin in Bethlehem. He grew to the stature of a man, and at the age of 30 began his public ministry. I know that His words, teachings, and works lay out the path to salvation and eternal life. The Jesus I worship is the Jesus from the Bible, and none other. I know that he suffered, bled, and died for my sins. Through his atonement, I know that I can be saved. There is nothing in this world that I can do of myself to bring salvation to my soul. It is only through the grace, merits, and mercy of Him that I am saved, on condition of full repentance of my sins. I do make mistakes, but as I repent and strive to live His teachings, I know that His mercy and grace are sufficient for salvation. This is my testimony, that He lives and loves me and loves each and every individual.

Sincerely,
Joshua LaDeau
Trussville, Alabama

Faith in America - Speech by Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney's Speech

Quoted from Charles Mitchell, blogger on www.EvangelicalsForMitt.com. concerning Mitt Romney's speech to be given today.

"Honestly, I'd like to see the speech reflect a distinction I think we've talked about, but not necessarily called out, and that's the difference between a spiritual leader and a moral leader. As we say all the time, the 2008 election is for president, not pastor. And it's a mistake to think the president is a spiritual leader -- indeed, some of our greatest presidents, such as Thomas Jefferson, had distinctly un-Christian theologies, and some of our worst, namely Jimmy Carter, were undoubtedly evangelicals.

But I think you can accept all that and still say that the president should be a moral leader. Meaning, you shouldn't be looking to him for theological discourses and advice, but he should have good values that are worthy of emulating and he should be living them out. And so I think Governor Romney's speech should be about the values his faith -- however wrong its doctrine may be -- gives him. I think they are the same values conservative evangelicals espouse -- and, candidly, I think he also does a better job living them out than most of us. I also think he deserves great credit for seeking -- as he said in his FRC speech -- to use the presidency as a "bully pulpit" for messages like the sanctity of life and the need for parents to stay together.

Honestly, it's been a long time since we've had someone like that in the Oval Office. President Bush's values are wonderful, but he doesn't really do the whole bully pulpit thing -- and we all know the eight years of debauchery that preceded him. If Governor Romney can send a message to conservative evangelicals tomorrow, though, that as president he would be a moral leader based on the values that most American share -- not "the Mormon president," based narrowly on some doctrine few people share -- I think the day will be a huge win, politically speaking. And, more importantly, it will be a day in which he sets out a way to unify people around shared values -- not divide them through an overtly sectarian campaign, as at least one other candidate is apparently seeking to do."

Roll Tide anyway...

I can't say that I really expected a perfect season this year. With new head coach Nick Saban, I knew there would be a spark and improvement this year. And I can honestly say there has been improvement, although the final record of the regular season is the same as last year and we lost the last four games like we did last year. Once again the Iron Bowl has eluded us. 6 years is a long drought, but it hasn't been 9 years - the longest streak Alabama has on record in the Iron Bowl. We're going to lose some great talent in some of our departing seniors, but the talent that is up and coming, not to mention the outstanding recruits lined up by Coach Saban, gives hope for the next several years. I said at the beginning of this season that we'd win some games we weren't supposed to win (Arkansas, blowout of Tennessee). We also lost some I never in a million years thought we'd lose (UL Monroe). But at the end of the day, it's like Saban has been talking about. It's not immediately winning championships, it's creating a process of winning. It's getting back a winning culture. I sincerely believe we will be in national championship contention in a few years. Now that we're not on probation, we can use the scholarships as we need to bring in players who can become a national championship team. While I'm talking about recruiting, let me say this: At the beginning of the year, Les Miles started talking about his LSU team was his team (with the departure of Jimbo Fisher to FSU). Well, he conveniently forgot that 17 of his seniors were recruits of a man named Nick Saban. 17 seniors without which, LSU wouldn't have had a hope or prayer of being in national championship contention. I'm so glad that Arkansas beat them and they now have no shot at it. I also want to go on record to say that Les Miles will never beat Nick Saban again!!! Mark my words!!!!!! Truth be known, if the referees didn't call back that 41 yard pass, Alabama would have won the game. That call reversal, which was totally wrong - it was clear as day that it was a definite catch - changed the whole game. Now, Miles may go on and take the Michigan job. Personally I hope he doesn't. I want to see Alabama crush LSU like a cockroach next year with Les Miles at the helm. He doesn't have the recruiting power that Saban has, and he will never have the talent he now has again. That being said, tough year this year, Alabama has a lot of growing and building to do. Next year is going to be different. ROLL TIDE!!!!

Barry Bonds...

You know, everyone needs to back off Barry Bonds. We have this thing in the U.S. called "innocent until proven guilty." And yet, all these folks just assuming he's guilty of using steroids and lying about it. He's never been proven guilty. In fact, he's never tested positive for steroids. You know, I really don't know if he's used steroids or not. He says he never knowingly used steroids. How can anyone prove otherwise?? What ticks me off is Mark McGwire and others under oath denied using, so why aren't they being indicted as well?? Why is it only Bonds who is being called to question? Maybe it's race, I doubt it. So what if he's not good with the media? That's no reason to take away his record. I'm not particularly a huge Barry Bonds fan, but leave the guy alone. He's devoted his entire life to the game of baseball. How can people take that away from him? How can they blot his record and his name from the books?? I don't get it. Like I said, he NEVER tested positive for steroids. There's absolutely no proof he's knowingly used them. Give him some peace and let him enjoy playing the game. I hope he continues and keeps knocking them out of the ballpark and adding to his homerun record.

Happy Birthday Jill!!

Can't believe my baby sister is 23!! Sometimes I wish I was 23 again. I was in much better shape back then. Hope you had a great birthday. Love you!!!

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Senator Judd Gregg Endorses Mitt Romney

Senator Judd Gregg
R-New Hampshire

Another great one from Dad!!

Health Care

Japanese doctor says, "Medicine in my country is so advanced that we can take a kidney out of one man, put it in another, and have him out looking for work in six weeks."

A German doctor says, "That is nothing. We can take a lung out of one person, put it in another, and have him out looking for work in four weeks."

A British doctor says, "In my country medicine is so advanced that we can take half a heart out of one person, put it in another, and have both of them out looking for work in two weeks."

The American doctor, not to be outdone, interjected, "You guys are way behind. We are about to take a woman with no brains, put her in the White House, and then half the country will be out looking for work."

Look what I get to come home to...

Don't I have the most beautiful wife and the best looking son? Unfortunately, Sophia was at school and missed this pic, but she is beautiful too!! Honestly, I don't know what I ever did to deserve such blessings in my life, but I sure am grateful for them!!!

Are Mormons Christians?

Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Nobel Peace Prize a Joke

Let me make this short and sweet. When Al Gore stops flying around in his personal plane and stops driving with his entourage of SUVs to all of his "green" speeches, I'll agree that he has earned the Nobel Peace Prize. Until then, he doesn't deserve it any more than Castro or Idi Amin.

I'm one of 156 Million...

My dad sent me this joke, I'm sure I've heard it before, but it's been resurrected with the current presidential election in mind. I like it more now than ever...


Presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and
John Edwards were flying to a convention.

Barack looked at Hillary, chuckled and said, 'You know, I
could throw a $1,000 bill out of the window right now and make somebody
very happy.'

Hillary shrugged her shoulders and replied, I could throw
ten $100 bills out of the window and make ten people very happy.'

John added, 'That being the case, I could throw one hundred
$10 bills out of the window and make a hundred people very happy.'

Hearing their exchange, the pilot rolled his eyes and said
to his co-pilot, 'Such big-shots back there'. I could throw all of them
out of the window and make 156 million people very happy.'

Out of shape

Ok, I think the time has come to back away from the table a little bit. When I came home from Africa in 2002, I weighed 175 lbs. Now, I'm a whopping 215. The way I see it, I've got about 30-40 lbs I could lose comfortably. I've really become more sedentary since I graduated from nursing school. At graduation I was 190 lbs. I haven't gotten any taller that I'm aware of and I'm not exercising like I was when I was in school, so 2+2=4. Genetics are not in my favor either. I look at pictures from just a year or two ago and think, what have I done to myself?? So, my goal is to be down to 200 by year's end. Hard to do with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up. It's no good to have a goal without objectives to accomplish them so here it goes:

1. Absolutely no fast food.
2. Absolutely no sodas. Water, milk, juice only.
3. Smaller portions (Leah, you're gonna have to fix my plate) and healthier choices.
4. Do that exercise video on nights I'm off work (hey, it's a good workout!!) and run early in the morning.
5. Run stairs each night I'm at work.

I think by following these guidelines I can lose 20 lbs by the end of the year. So, y'all encourage me and make sure I'm on track.

ROLL TIDE!!!!!

It's here. Today is the kickoff of Alabama football for the 2007 season. Of course, Western Carolina will be a cakewalk, but after all, this is the first game we will see coached by Nick Saban. We'll get some questions answered, albeit not all of them. I imagine we'll see a lot more against Vanderbilt next weekend. I keep hearing all these analysts talking about Alabama will only win 6 or 7 games this year. They don't think we can handle the likes of Georgia or Auburn and certainly not LSU. Well, we'll see. I know this is a rebuilding year. I know it will not be a perfect year and we will lose some games. Let's be reasonable. But some folks better think again. We will win some games people don't expect us to win. And I'm afraid if LSU thinks they'll come in and have a easy game, they're gonna be a little disappointed. Sure, LSU may win the game, but Alabama will give them a run for their money. Expect Alabama to be in a BCS game in about 2-3 years. Expect us to be in a BCS national title game in 3-4 years. And for all you haters from Miami and everywhere else who think Saban will never win a national championship at Alabama, that's just wishful dreaming, but your nightmare is coming true soon enough. ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!

One year wiser...

Well, I had a birthday a couple of weeks ago. 27 now. I can't believe how time has gone so quickly. I've been so busy at work and I just started back to school last week. I'm working on my bachelor's degree in nursing and my master's in nursing. I'll have the former next summer and the latter in the spring of 2009. It's all online, so I'll be able to do it on my nights off work. Just gotta be disciplined. Hopefully the next couple of years will go kind of quickly so I can get this over with and move on the bigger and better things. I enjoy my work, but it's certainly not what I want to do my whole life. Nursing is a great career, but I don't want to be at the bedside forever. There are so many other opportunities.

Blog recommendation

I just wanted to encourage everyone to visit Evangelicals for Mitt. It is a blog promoting Mitt Romney for President of the United States of America. Sure, I'm a Latter-day Saint, and I'll vote for him and hope he wins. I believe he is the only man qualified to run the most powerful nation on earth from either party, not just because we're both "Mormons", but because he's the most qualified. If you don't think so, check out what these evangelical christians are saying!! It's not all about theology, which they clearly don't agree with. It's about who has the right values and leadership qualities. Think about it, do we really want Hillary in the White House for another 4 to 8 years?? The Clintons have had their go and caused enough trouble. Let's vote for a President who will bring honor and integrity and yes, good conservative family values to the White House. Check out the blog, I've got a link to it on the side bar with my favorite links.

I Love Harry Potter!!!

It's finally here!! Book 7, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and I could not possibly be more excited. Yes, I'm 27 years old (almost), and I am a huge Harry Potter fan...boy I feel better after getting that out. You know I heard a couple of morning talk show hosts here in B'ham last week and they insinuated that adults who like Harry Potter are immature losers with whom they would have nothing in common and nothing to talk about. To which I say, get over it. You obviously don't have kids, or a life for that matter. Sure, there are those who just never get into stuff like this. It's not their cup of tea, doesn't float their boat, their just interested in other things. But those who go on radio and say things like I heard last week are the same who don't like to read because it might just make them have to use their heads and think. These are the people who don't read anything. Not much of a personality, just rednecks trying to make themselves feel better by trying to seem "above" reading a kids' book. I've already read over half and intend to finish by the middle of the week. Let me tell you, this book is not for 8 year olds. It requires a little more maturity because of the content. Now, I'm not going to give anything away for those who haven't read it yet. Just so I don't come off as someone who only reads books intended for a younger audience, I read a lot of other things too. I've recently read an archaeological book about the tombs around Jerusalem, one about UFO sitings around the world (pretty interesting), a John Grisham novel, my ESPN the Magazines, church magazines, scriptures. I try to read a little of something everyday. Keeps the mind sharp. So for those out there who want to act all big and tough and impress your friends by saying you'd never read a Harry Potter book or go to a Harry Potter movie, I say, "Grow Up!!" Get married and have kids. You'd be surprised what you watch and read. I think you'd find a little more enjoyment in life and find out that Harry Potter and other works of fiction are actually very cool indeed.

Cindy Sheehan is crazy

What the crap is this lady's problem?? Look, I know your son died in the line of duty. He swore an oath to protect this country. He did what he was supposed to be doing. As a cardiac nurse, I deal with death often. I have lost loved ones taken prematurely. I know the pain and the suffering that it brings. But come on... Cindy Sheehan is calling for the immediate removal from office of Pres. Bush and Vice Pres. Cheney. She swears that they are not going to leave office quietly. Who the crap does she think Bush is, Idi Amin?? He's not a dictator planning on squashing any rebellion. He's a President. And when his term is over, he'll go home, probably very relieved that he doesn't have such a great responsibility on his shoulder anymore. And now, to top it all off, she is running against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in the upcoming election if Pelosi does not move for the impeachment of Bush and Cheney. She actually thinks she can win. This is laughable at best. She even made a statement that said, in effect, that the Congress was only concerned about special interest groups and she would eradicate that. Get a clue lady!!! You are a special interest case. You want to be voted into Congress for one purpose and one purpose only - to stop the war in Iraq. You have no other thought or idea or agenda that will benefit American citizens except to bring soldiers home from Iraq. Don't get me wrong. My brother-in-law was there at the start of the war and sustained injuries in battle. My brother is scheduled to go next month. I don't want my little brother to go. I wish my brother-in-law didn't have to go through the experiences he had. But guess what, Cindy, you have no place in politics. Your crusade is not a valid reason to be elected into the United States House of Representatives. You cannot represent your constituents because you have one agenda, and from what I can tell, do not care about anything else. How can you possibly think you can be a leader of a Congressional district with no political experience other than camping outside the President's ranch? You are not the only person to lose a child in this war. I am sorry for your loss, I truly am. I am sorry for every life lost and send my condolences to all their families. But even if elected, the President would be gone, mark my words. There's no need for alarm!! He cannot disregard the Constitution and stay in office after January 20, 2009. That is just about the most unintelligent thing I have ever heard anyone say. But go ahead and run. It is your right to do so. There's no chance of a victory against the Speaker of the House, but go ahead, waste your time and ours. Troop withdrawal is inevitable. It's going to happen. I don't think any Republican can win the Presidency this election. And when a Democrat comes to office, one of the first things to happen will surely be a rapid withdrawal of our military from Iraq. And let it be. Those people cannot live in a democracy. For thousands of years they've had a king or dictator of some sort. It's all they know. It's in their genetic makeup at this point. Let them have a civil war, let some leader emerge victorious and bring peace to the country. We cannot assume to force democracy on every nation. Saddam was a tyrant and needed to be taken out. I support that. But now we need to step back and let them work it out and create a government that will work for them. I can't think of a better way to solve their problems. I'm not sure Americans can come up with a better way. We don't think like they do. We don't experience what they do. We don't have their culture or way of life. But I'm sure they can figure it out.

What's up with the USA?

Something is really wrong in this country. The news in the last couple of weeks has been full of stories about men who go off the deep end and take the lives of their wives/girlfriends and even worse, their innocent children. Then some, like the wrestler, take their own lives. You know, if you're gonna off yourself anyway, just do that and spare the wife and kids and let them live their lives. I had a good friend growing up who was chased down and killed by her husband just before he killed himself. He was stopped by local law enforcement from committing suicide just the day before. Since he was so determined to do himself in, why couldn't he have left her alone and let her go on with her life. She would certainly have been better off. The problem was prophesied a long time ago. Jesus said about the last days, "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Isn't this what we have seen? The answer is a return to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Putting God first in this country would go a long way. However, as a whole, this nation will continue to become more sinful. These are the last days and things will get worse before they get better. It would be nice though, to have a break from these horrendous reports in the news.

ROLL TIDE!!!!!

New Lack of Respect

Ok, on my last post, I told everyone to back off George Bush. Well, I just read a news article last night and I now have lost almost all respect for the man. He was at some ceremony and the Auburn University swim team was being recognized. They presented him with a pair of blue and orange speedos, which was bad enough. Then he yelled out "War Eagle." At that moment I completely had a change of heart about him. Of course, I'm sure there's lots of Auburn fans out there who have gained a new found respect for him. But as a die hard Alabama fan, this is intolerable. You see, there are those out there who say, "I cheer for Auburn when there not playing Alabama because there still from our state, or they're the SEC team." FORGET THAT CRAP!!! Each week of college football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, track, gymnastics, swimming, or whatever sport is going on, I want two teams to win: Alabama, and the team playing Auburn!!!! Now that is a true fan's attitude. Unfortunately, there are too many wishy-washy fans out there who are not truly dedicated to their team. Oh well. Can't force my will on all people. It just seems if he was going to cheer for anyone, it would be some school in his home state of Texas. Just goes to show that some people will say anything to make people like them.

Slow night

I'm at work right now and there's not a whole lot going on. Taking care of patients and hoping they'll sleep well. Gives me a chance to catch up on my ESPN magazine and Harry Potter book. Yes, I'm a huge Harry Potter fan. I'm reading the sixth book again to refresh my memory before book seven comes out next month. And I'm looking forward to the fifth movie coming out next month as well. There are a lot of good movies out now that I want to see. Shrek the Third was really good. Pirates 3, Spider-Man 3, and Ocean's 13 are majorly on my to-do list. I find it strange that we have four movies out at the same time that are threequels. I hope that the Senate will finally pass some immigration laws soon. I think this is some change that is much needed, and it might be something for Pres. Bush to be proud of before he leaves office, if they can get it passed. I know there have been mistakes in the current administration, but seriously people, back off. At least we have a president who takes action. He's done the best job he can do. I'd hate to see the mess we'd be in if Al Gore had won the election in 2000. I'm kind of like Pres. Bush, I don't care about the ratings. I'd like to know if anyone else has a better idea on how to handle the situation in Iraq. For you idiots that just want to immediately pull troops out, wake up. They'll turn on themselves and destroy each other until there's no Iraq left. Unless that is just what you want to happen. I'm not claiming to have any ideas or answers to the situation, I don't. But I'm tired of hearing all the hating on Bush. All you people griping about the job he's doing and this mistake and that mistake. As far as I can tell, most Americans would have made the same decisions he made given the intelligence available at the time had they been president. You haven't walked in his shoes, you don't know what he knows. So just back off. Ok, well, I'm ok now. Just clearing my thoughts. I actually would have a lot more to say about the subject, but I'll reserve that for now. Well, I'd better get back to doing something productive. I think I hear a patient calling.

Busy Month

It certainly has been a busy month. We got all moved in, and I've started my new job. I'm loving it so far. Starting this week, I'll be on my own, so I won't be working under another nurse. I'm also on nights since last week, so I'm still adjusting to the new schedule. Henry is doing well and talking more than ever. He repeats everything he hears, so don't tell him any secrets. Sophia is loving being out of school for the summer. Leah is loving the new house and is excited about all the things we want to do to improve it. There's loads that we can do to improve the house. It'll be exciting to see how everything comes about. I started a class last week for the summer, and then it's into full gear for my bachelor's and master's in nursing starting in the fall. I'm ready to get it started. I'm even more excited about finishing, after this there is absolutely no more school for me! Well, I guess that's about it in a nutshell. I'd be up all night if I tried to elaborate on everything that's gone on in the last month. Suffice it to say that we love our new home and the area we are in. I'm just so grateful for all the many ways the Lord has blessed us in the last few years. The blessings keep pouring in, and we couldn't be more grateful.

NBA Playoffs

New Job!!!

Well, I've accepted a new position on a cardiac unit at St. Vincent's Hospital in B'ham. I'm really excited about it. I'll be doing a lot of what I'm doing now, but I won't have all the critical care and ICU types of patients. We're just trying to find out if they can start me before the regular new orientation date. I'd like to go ahead and get started in a couple of weeks. Our move to Trussville is getting ever closer, and I'm really excited about starting over and moving forward.

Well I had two job interviews yesterday. Actually, I interviewed with three nurse managers, so I have potentially three departments in two hospitals to choose from. They'll all offer me a position, I just have to decide which one I want. I'm leaning toward a surgical ICU. I think I would learn a lot and be able to expand my knowledge base. Up to now, all I've done is cardiac nursing. I think I would be more well rounded with experience in a SICU. I'd definitely see a lot more than just hearts and respiratory stuff. I'm really excited about my prospects. I'm glad to be in a profession where I really have a lot of choices as to where I can work and what type of work I do.

White and Nerdy

This week...

A lot has gone on this week. I found out that we could not move into my new house in two weeks because of legal technicalities. So, we're moving to a new house in Trussville. It's a great area and has a wonderful school system. That will be good for the kids. I have to find a new job and hopefully be able to start it by the beginning of May. That's not much of a problem for an RN. I submitted two applications for employment to hospitals in Birmingham and within two days both called and set up appointments for interviews. Every interview I've been to has resulted in a job offer. Maybe when we get moved and everything settles down I'll find a good agency and travel Birmingham. I can make a lot more money with a travel agency than I can as a hospital employee. But with the Master's degree program starting in the fall, I probably should stick with a hospital since the hours and scheduling would be more predictable. I've learned a lot this week too. I've learned that no matter how hard you work to achieve something, there is always someone out there who works harder, or at least is cunning enough, to prevent you from achieving it. But in the end, those who work against you out of spite or just plain evilness will get theirs. Actually, because of my recent change in plans, I am in a much better position. I'll be closer to my family first of all. We'll be back in the Birmingham Stake of the Church and significantly closer to the Birmingham temple. I have many more job opportunities. When the time comes and we decide to sell the house we are buying, the profit we make on it will be astounding. Those who sought to pull me and my family down didn't realize (and we didn't either, immediately) that they inadvertently put us in a much better position. So, Thanks guys!! No hard feelings. The Lord works in mysterious ways. My mission president told me once that sometimes the Lord uses the wicked to bring about His purposes. I can surely see this is true in this case. Well, a new week starts tomorrow. We'll go to church in the morning and get a spiritual boost for the coming week. That is, if we can hear anything while trying to keep my son still and quiet. And that's the way it is.